soul food

This year I have had the great fortune to work with the fabulous Sydney art photographer Kira.

Kira is an extraordinary talent and produces some of the most imaginative and beautiful photography I have ever seen, check out her work here. Kira manages to capture the soul of her photographic subjects and is seemingly able to work seamlessly with a wide range of subjects and themes.

Maybe I have a different handle on it all but this GFE escort wanted to do something from another time.

Gee, did I have fun shopping for it! Everything from high end English lingerie, Australian lingerie, reproduction flapper dress from Gatsby Lady, reproduction 1920 shoes from vintage shops to stuff purchased on Amazon. At any rate we tried to try recreate something of the 1920s check out the effort here in my new web gallery.

A couple of weeks back I caught up with an old friend. The friendship goes back a very long time to when we were bright new 20 yos. We were living at that two story unrenovated 5 bedroom share house at 40 Edgeware Rd, Enmore which is probably a many million dollar mansion by now. Back then it was a right of passage living in crusty old share houses in inner Sydney – how things have changed for youngsters today.

This friend and I went to Japan once for Xmas. We stayed at another friends (of that time in Enmore) place in Tokyo who was teaching English there. It was a great experience being all together again and we shown around and educated a bit on the differences in culture. There have been many adventures over the years and it is a strong friendship that has stood the test of time.

So I was very excited to see my friend again. She was here in Sydney to do a presentation. She is a filmmaker and after we spent some time together catching up, she invited me to see the new media she had made. We walked down from the old stamping ground of our youth in Newtown to the Redfern Community Centre. The presentation had an Aboriginal panel, as well as my filmmaker friend presenting to a group of Aboriginal activists. It was a big deal it was a full house with people sitting on the floor to pack everyone in to see the media and take part in the discussion.

So, I realise am this Caucasian who lives in inner west Sydney and does not know much about Aboriginal issues other than what is perhaps on SBS, and what is followed on online forums. I had watched first contact documentaries and was really disturbed about the challenges for Aborginal people the first people of Australia. A race of people who are the most marginalised and disadvantaged of all. It is shameful and what has happened in the past is human rights abuse. But being just concerned does not help them does it? So, there was my friend making media and doing interviews and community presentations that educates non indigenous and actually employs Aboriginal people in a job. Jobs equal opportunities.

Lately I have had the task of helping my mother arrange her will. A bit grim, but there you go. She believes that some part of ones estate should be donated to charity. She believes that in different circumstances any of us might need help. She herself is donating part of her estate to five charities. I share the view, if you can help you should help. Not that we don’t enjoy nice material things ourselves from time to time but there is a balance between looking after yourself and caring about others and bigger issues world issues outside of yourself/ your own lived experiences.

This got me thinking, I too would like to do something this year. Why not, parts of the world are in a mess, including here in Australia. Then I decided that this Xmas I would give what I would spend in Xmas presents to my family to an Aboriginal charity. It is important to make sure that the money is well spent and getting to the people it should help. Then I decided maybe I should give my friend the money as her company directly employs Aboriginal people in a job. So I asked the opinion of all of this from another friend who said “If the film company is employing Aboriginal people then your charity is VASTLY more effective in their hands than anywhere else. Employment in real jobs is their only chance. My general view is that charities easily become promoters or a cargo cult mentality that ultimately undermines the disadvantaged they seek to help”.

Took this information back to my film maker friend who also shares this view. She decided not to take my money because she has a production company rather than a org or a charity. She herself donates to different causes and gave me a short list of her favourites, which being the sort of person she is would be very well thought out. This is good information because there are so many charities and if I am asking my family to forgo presents for Xmas to donate to orgs, I want to make sure I had made the very best choices with the resources, like you do.

The film maker friend also suggested another thing to do was to go to Arnhamland myself and see the way Aboriginal people live in this country first hand, which I think I may do in the next year.

If I sound lofty or something along that tangent believe me that is not the intention here at all. I am fully cognizant that activists spend their life and time crusading for the rights of others and this planet and that is such an honorable thing to do.

This is who I have donated money to this year.

. Amnesty International

. Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres

. Australian Conservation Fund

. Touching Base

Thanks again to the escort community and my clients.

Not everyone does Xmas so I wish you goodwill and all the best of the season.

Hello sexies! So good to feel the warm weather again. Yeah! Today is the December 1 and WOOT Summer is officially here!

A bit has been happening my end, so I moved my incall back to Dulwich Hill in March. I’ve moved a few times in the last three years but this time it’s the final stop. (I think…hopefully…LOL). Had a few adventures along the way and in the end I’ve decided that life is happiest when it’s simple.

I had a great trip to Hawaii back in June and came back from that experience wanting to make things.

The Festival of Sex Work is such a cool event, seems to be lots of stimulating forums they even have an art exhibition. I made a piece for it too, his name twitter tag is @elchesty and he looked like this.
The other Sex Worker gallery creations (pictured) were really great and offered an opportunity to think about the diversity of the community, expressed through art.
Very thought provoking and inspiring, open to the public when the FoSW is on so everyone can see and be as pepped up as I was.

And having been motivated by FoSW, I have started another small business making natural products. It’s been a heap of joy and fun exploring the creative aspects of putting that together. I have had a few sales from that now so I am feeling actively encouraged.

Next year, the majority of my time will be invested into making and marketing my natural products. I will have a new website for it and I really want to have a market stall eventually. I will still be doing SW but it will now be my second job rather than my first. I’ll try to keep my photos updated on twitter so you can see how I am looking and what I am doing but I may not be as present on social media as I have been in the past. My regular clients know how I work anyway, bookings in advance through automated availability calendar on my website so nothings changed there at all, if you prefer send me a DM on twitter or email and I can book it in for you.

I will be doing a flyover trip to Antartica NYE so that’s very exciting and will spend a couple of weeks down in Tasmania and Melbourne in late January. I may add a couple more days on in Melbourne. It will be a sort of mixed holiday primarily to visit a great old girlfriend while I am in Tasmania. If you are keen to catch up hit me up.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my clients this year for your valued friendship, understanding and support. Your kindness really does create a series of positive ripples in ways we may never know.

And I would also like to thank the awesome Sex Worker community for your time, your inclusiveness and your support. It blows my mind how many diversely talented individuals make up the industry.

One of the most fun events of the year in Sydney is the Mardi Gras parade. I’ve been a regular attendee now since the late 1980s. It is a little bit different every year, as the political and cultural messages shift and change over time and the floats become even more numerous and impressive. With movies like Pride coming out of England in the last year, it is fascinating to see how social and attitudes have shifted and changed within a lifetime.

The Sydney Mardi Gras is a very popular event and so it is a great idea to plan the best vantage points to see the show.

This year I was at the Sideshow which means there’s seating, toilets, a bar and food, ANZ was the corporate sponsor this year. ANZ have introduced the GAYTM in recent times in a bid to secure the queer dollar.

These days I am living in the city, so the travel involved a bus ride up to Central from Circular Quay, duck through the Devonshire tunnel and through to Chalmers St, onto a coach for paid tickets and up to Albion St, (avoiding the hill). All the while observing the colourful characters attempting to scale the challenging Albion St in a bedazzling array of wigs, sequins, feathers and fierce heels.

Unfortunately there was quite a wait to get in at the Sideshow but I wasn’t too worried really. Lately I have taken to bringing fold up directors chairs to these public parades and events which enables seating anywhere at the front on the fence line – a VERY good strategy!

After a while the parade began, Dykes on Bikes opened up, then Boys on Bikes, Indigenous Australians and the 1978ers bused by.

It was getting pretty exciting, I was standing next to six super hot gay men – this was an interesting experience in itself! Men in the parade would spot them and flirt with them and they did the same back. Kind of instant and predatory behaviour – all in good fun though.

There were so many highlights but I got a real kick out of seeing my exes solar powered Sunny Bin wheelie bin sound systems charging down the street – so perfect for events like this.

And stunning Christine McQueen unmistakeable and bewigged at the front with an Asian contingent of marchers.

And my gorgeous client Steven happily sailing by with Northcott, a very important representation in the march.

I LOVE Mardi Gras, so if you’d like to come with me next year and feel the Mardi Gras passion feel free to get in touch.

It was time for a good outing and one of my oldest and very best supporters was entertaining me last night. He and I have a close relationship within the boundaries of how these arrangements run, so I knew it was going to be something special.

I was not disappointed. This modern day spin of a French vaudeville circus is located in trendy Oxford at the Slide Lounge Nightclub. It turned out we had arrived a bit early so I suggested we go for a drink at the Midnight Shift, a gay bar located just up the street.

The Midnight Shift bar has been there for many years, certainly I remember going there a few times in the late 1980s as a young whippersnapper. It’s an iconic Oxford gay bar with a trendy bar staff and clientele to match. I guess my very vanilla, heterosexual supporter was a bit hesitant venturing in to this somewhat unknown territory but my sensual manner and delicious low cut outfit convinced him to enter this particular den.
While I could see he was a bit uncomfortable at first, it’s a really well laid out ambient place, with great service. We both enjoyed our drinks before we left for our big event.
Arriving at the Slide Lounge, the doorman greeted us dressed in a top hat and tails with a cheeky French accent and a French themed hostess escorted us to our table . What a cosy room! Opulent chandeliers, themed lighting and an awesome music score doing Oxford Street night-time entertainment proud and that helped set up the night for an unforgettable experience.

We started our circus adventure with a Slider cocktail and a Cosmopolitan.
Out came the MC Verushka Darling a 6ft drag queen that had legs up to her armpits, mmm leg envy, bah! She introduced each of the seven courses of food with a stage act in between.

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What spectacular entertainment! The acts ranged from acrobats and jugglers to fire eaters lying on beds of nails, not to mention the sexy exotic dancers. All up the show is a really erotic affair and my eyes and ears were popping with the stimulus. I was feeling very flushed but just managed to compose myself – somehow.
The atmosphere, lights and stage effects were brilliant and the show was a very slick run operation. Outstanding! If you are going for the show you will be delighted.

As for the Autumn menu, I think in trying to be so unique it lost the plot a little. Some examples of the dishes were a goat cheese ice cream and a balloon that holds the aroma of popcorn ;-O as well as a latex glove issued to use to eat mushroom pie, off beat? YES! To be very honest, we would have been happier with just three courses of more conventional food.

All up if you want a night with a difference I can highly recommend this experience.

My wonderful supporter decided to take me back to his circus tent and practice some acrobatic moves of his own, Ha! Another great night!

To enjoy your own special night with a difference you can contact me and we can arrange your own fantastic experience.

— written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s —
Not “Found in Old St. Paul’s Church”! — see below

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.